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He hasn't seen Amar'e Stoudemire bust out "The Dream Shake" yet, but Carmelo Anthony thinks Stoudemire's new post game could be a "deadly" weapon for the Knicks.
Stoudemire spent part of his summer working with Hakeem Olajuwon in Texas, getting some one-on-one tutelage in an attempt to become more adept at navigating down low. Just the thought of the added dimension that might give the Knicks' offense has Anthony beaming.
"It's not like he didn't have those moves. I guess he just didn't feel comfortable down there, or whatever it may be," Anthony said Friday during a break at his two-day youth camp at St. John's University. "But him going down there and putting me on the wing, now I get to play off of him rather than me going down there and him playing off of me, which could be a deadly weapon if it all works out."
Anthony is eager to see Stoudemire's updated offensive repertoire. "I haven't seen him," he said. "I've been looking for him, but I haven't see him yet. So I'm ready to see what he's added to his arsenal, and I'm excited . . . that he even went down there and started working with The Dream. So that's a big step forward."
Anthony said he's completely healthy and has tried to get a little rest since returning to the United States from London after Team USA's gold-medal showing at the Olympics. He had some brilliant performances at the Games, including a record-setting 37-point game against Nigeria, leading people to wonder if that success will carry over to the regular season.
That's his intention, though not in an individualistic sense.
"I'm excited just to get this thing going," Anthony said, "especially coming off the run I just had, the run we had with Team USA, how much fun we had, to put a team together and still be able to accomplish something with everybody on that team -- to bring that mentality here back to the New York Knicks, I'm excited about that.
"We've got guys on our team, veteran guys that you don't have to teach the game to. They already know the game. So it's just a matter of all of us putting it all together and making this run."
What the Knicks hope will be a run into June officially begins Nov. 1 at Barclays Center against the Nets. Just don't call it a rivalry with their crosstown opponent. Not at the moment, anyway.
"There's no rivalry between us and Brooklyn right now," Anthony said. "It starts on that first game. We'll see what happens with that first game. But as of right now, we are focused on ourselves. We are not really focused on nobody else."

The New York Knicks became one of 10 team to purchase a multi-camera system from STATS, LLC that tracks every movement in an NBA game.

Carmelo Anthony was the most efficient player in the NBA of all players who drove the ball at least 40 times in camera-recorded games during the 11-12 season. New York scored 1.66 points per possession on those trips. Anthony shot the ball on 55 percent of those drives and drew fouls on 25 percent of them. Anthony shot just better than 50 percent.

But Anthony drove just 3.1 times per game, equivalent to the same rate as Chandler Parsons and Luol Deng.

Anthony also ranked No. 1 on points per possession on all of his elbow touches. Anthony shot 62 percent on shots taken after an elbow touch.

The New York Knicks became one of 10 team to purchase a multi-camera system from STATS, LLC that tracks every movement in an NBA game.

Carmelo Anthony was the most efficient player in the NBA of all players who drove the ball at least 40 times in camera-recorded games during the 11-12 season. New York scored 1.66 points per possession on those trips. Anthony shot the ball on 55 percent of those drives and drew fouls on 25 percent of them. Anthony shot just better than 50 percent.

But Anthony drove just 3.1 times per game, equivalent to the same rate as Chandler Parsons and Luol Deng.

Anthony also ranked No. 1 on points per possession on all of his elbow touches. Anthony shot 62 percent on shots taken after an elbow touch.

For the past nine years, New York Knicks star Carmelo Anthony has had to carry the scoring load for his teams to remain competitive.

But with arguably his deepest and most seasoned supporting cast this season in New York, he's ready to sacrifice the high scoring he's always been known for.

"I don't want to try to put all that burden on myself to go out there and try to do everything, so I'm willing to make any sacrifice in my game regardless of what anybody else says," he told ESPNNewYork.com on Friday. "If my scoring goes from 27 to 23, I'm cool with that. Right now, I'm willing to make any sacrifice that I have to."

Anthony said his motivation to change his game comes from his focus to buy into the team system. Anthony said he's been inspired by his veteran teammates, such as Jason Kidd, who has taken the leadership role in pre-training camp, Marcus Camby and Kurt Thomas, whom he said are all working harder than ever in the gym. He even included free-agent power forward Rasheed Wallace, who's been recently training at the Knicks' practice facility.

"We go up there and you'd be surprised the work that the older guys put in, from Camby to Jason Kidd to Rasheed," Anthony said. "The work that the guys are putting in, you would think that they were still in their early 30s or something like that."

Anthony said that Wallace took his physical on Friday -- as did Melo -- and a source close to the team told ESPNNewYork.com that "the players all expect (the Wallace signing) to become official." The former Piston has close ties with Knicks coach Mike Woodson, who was an assistant coach in Detroit in 2004 when they upset the Los Angeles Lakers to win the championship. And Woodson has been a big proponent of coaching veteran players.

"The word out of the practice facility was the staff was talking during pickup games and workouts as if (Wallace) was joining the team," the source said. "They were talking about how his game fit in with the rest of the team."

Wallace's agent, Bill Strickland, said over the phone that if Wallace decides to come out of retirement, it will be to play with the Knicks and no other team.

"That's my understanding, based on his relationship with Coach Woodson," Strickland said.

A team source said that Wallace has not yet signed a deal but said something could be done by the end of the day Friday.

Another source familiar with the Knicks' free-agency situation said that during Wallace's first workouts with the Knicks, he wasn't in very good shape. But Wallace could improve his conditioning during the season and be a key stretch-4 during the playoffs. As of right now, only Steve Novak plays a similar position, and the team could use an additional 3-point shooter who can spread the floor.

While waiting on Wallace's decision, the Knicks have reached out to representatives for free-agent swingman Josh Howard, according to a league source.

With the Atlantic Division being extra competitive this season -- the Knicks, Miami Heat, Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers and Toronto Raptors could all be playing in May -- Anthony & Co. need to make sure their arsenal is fully equipped.

"(The Atlantic) is wide open," he said. "I've been in the Western Conference for seven and a half years, and every year that's how it was. Two games separate everybody. You lose one, you fall back, so it keeps you on edge. Now in the East, it seems like that's the new trend. As long as we do what we have to do, we'll be fine."

And what about Miami?

"We're not even worried about them," he said with a smile. "They do what they do, we do what we do. We'll meet up when we meet up."

With Anthony arguably in the best shape of his life -- Knicks legend and MSG analyst Walt Frazier told ESPNNewYork.com that he believes so -- this is Melo's best shot at elevating to the MVP conversation, along with his 2003 draft buddies LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.

But that's not on his mind. He's all about team. And sacrifice.

"At the end of the day, as long as we win games, everybody will be happy," he said. "I don't really think about it. My mindset is to make this one of the best years for myself and for the Knicks."

"I don't want to try to put all that burden on myself to go out there and try to do everything, so I'm willing to make any sacrifice in my game regardless of what anybody else says," he told ESPNNewYork.com on Friday. "If my scoring goes from 27 to 23, I'm cool with that. Right now, I'm willing to make any sacrifice that I have to."

IMO this season Melo will be among top three MVP candidates, man's motivated, in shape and operates within a system where he thrives. I'm wondering though how he'll mesh with Ray, who's a pick and roll PG. But still, hopes are high and I deeply believe Melo will make a major impact and prove the BSPN haters wrong.